Sports

Angels in the Citi Field, top Mets

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes loses control of a ball hit by Los Angeles Angels’ Mark Trumbo to allow a base hit during the sixth inning of an interleague baseball game, Friday, June 17, 2011, at Citi Field in New York. Mets lost the game 4-3. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ With all that speed in center, Peter Bourjos
looked as if he was born to play at Citi Field.
Bourjos hit a tiebreaking double and turned in a sensational
catch to help Joel Pineiro nail down his 100th career win at last
in the Los Angeles Angels’ 4-3 victory over the New York Mets on
Friday night.
“He went out and got a couple of ’em, that’s for sure,” Angels
manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think it’s the type of field that
you can really see our outfield athleticism show up.”
Playing under National League rules, the Angels left surging
designated hitter Bobby Abreu on the bench in their first game at
the Mets’ spacious home and started their three fastest
outfielders.
Bourjos and left fielder Vernon Wells tracked down some key
drives in the vast gaps _ and enjoyed every minute of it.
“I’d love to play here,” Bourjos said. “A lot of room to
cover and I enjoy that, just kind of being able to run, not having
to really worry about walls and stuff, especially out in
right-center. You’re not going to hit a wall for a long time.”
Admittedly nervous for his first game in New York, hard-throwing
rookie Jordan Walden walked his first two batters in the ninth
inning before striking out the next three to hold on.
Torii Hunter snapped a 2-for-23 slide with three hits, including
an RBI single, while Maicer Izturis and Howie Kendrick each scored
twice. The Angels, who had lost seven of 10, used some slick
defense to improve to 27-10 in interleague road games since 2007 _
the best mark in the majors.
Los Angeles has won 28 of its last 40 overall against National
League teams.
Pineiro (3-3) had failed six times to earn win No. 100 since his
previous victory May 10 against the Chicago White Sox. But he ran
into the right opponent Friday, pitching 6 1-3 solid innings to up
his record against the Mets to 4-0 with a shutout in seven career
starts.
“I knew it was going to come,” Pineiro said. “I didn’t put
too much pressure on myself.”
The right-hander, who allowed two runs and six hits, shook off
an early line drive to his leg and held nemesis Jose Reyes in
check.
Reyes, who began the day leading the majors with a .348 average
and 101 hits, entered 7 for 12 (.583) against Pineiro with a homer
and a triple. But the speedy leadoff man went 0 for 4 with a
ninth-inning walk.
Reyes stole second, but Walden recovered to preserve Pineiro’s
100th win.
“I totally forgot until after the game,” Walden said. “I was
like, Oh my God, he probably had a heart attack.”
Angel Pagan had a pair of RBI singles for the Mets, back home
after a 6-4 road trip.
With the score tied 2-all, the Angels mounted a two-out rally
against Chris Capuano (5-7) in the sixth.
Mark Trumbo reached on an infield single that was bobbled by
Reyes at shortstop, putting two on. Bourjos grounded an RBI double
that glanced off the glove of rookie third baseman Justin Turner,
giving Los Angeles the lead.
“Those balls are coming back to kill us,” Mets manager Terry
Collins said.
Bourjos helped preserve the edge in the bottom half with a
leaping catch as he banged into the left-center fence to rob Ronny
Paulino, who was leading off the inning. On the mound, Pineiro
applauded in appreciation.
“I love taking hits away from people in the outfield,” Bourjos
said. “I think your team gets pumped up.”
Hunter added a run-scoring single in the seventh off Bobby
Parnell after Izturis led off with a double.
“We definitely got some clutch hits tonight and that was good
to see,” Scioscia said. “It’s been missing in a lot of our
baseball so far this season.”
Paulino drove an RBI double to right-center _ far out of
Bourjos’ reach _ to cut it to 4-3 in the eighth. But a sharp
grounder by Ruben Tejada was smothered by Trumbo at first, and
Scott Downs struck out pinch-hitter Scott Hairston to end the
inning.
Walden then earned his 16th save in 19 chances.
“First and second, no out, 3-4-5, three left-handed hitters,
three good fastball hitters,” Collins said. “It felt like we were
going to do something.”
After the start was delayed 33 minutes by rain, Kendrick doubled
in the second and scored on a two-out error by Turner, who rushed a
high throw with the speedy Bourjos racing up the line.
Daniel Murphy tripled to open the bottom half and Pagan followed
with a tying single.
Wells, who began the night batting .193, ripped an RBI single
off Reyes’ glove in the third.
Moments later, Pineiro was hit behind his right knee by Carlos
Beltran’s line-drive single, drawing a groan from the crowd of
29,513 _ and another when the replay was shown. Scioscia and a
trainer came out to check on Pineiro, who threw two warmup pitches
and stayed in the game.
Pagan’s two-out single tied the score again.
“We all know Pineiro,” Pagan said. “He’s been around for a
long time, and he knows how to make adjustments.”
NOTES: Angels 3B Alberto Callaspo, sidelined since Saturday with
a pulled left hamstring, worked out before the game and felt fine.
The team hopes he’ll be available off the bench this weekend,
Scioscia said. … Collins is in his first year as Mets manager.
His previous big league managing job was with the Angels from
1997-99 before Scioscia took over in 2000.